(WACO, Texas) – February’s historic winter weather in Texas made people realize the importance of plumbers as pipes broke, causing damage to apartments, homes and businesses.

“It shined a light on the plumbing industry and made people see we are not always as prepared as we think we are,” said Clyff Curry, business manager of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 529 in Waco.

Texas State Technical College’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program in Waco offers a three-semester certificate program that covers backflow prevention, blueprint reading, piping standards and other topics. The curriculum is a mix of online lectures and hands-on labs.

Jimmy Bibb, an instructor in TSTC’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program, said four large Texas companies have contacted him in recent days seeking graduates. He said the inquiries prove how in demand graduates are.

“They have put in the work, showing up to class on time,” Bibb said. “They have completed a rigorous program. Now they have the knowledge and skill set to enter a well-diversified workplace.”

Texas had more than 39,800 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters making an annual mean wage of $50,840 in May 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Curry said there is a pressing need for plumbers now in Waco because of new construction in the commercial, hospitality, manufacturing and residential housing sectors. He said all of the projects will need pipe and mechanical work.

“The jobs are there in the industry, but we are pushing people into other fields that may or may not be as lucrative with job availability,” he said. “It is not thought of as a top industry, even though you have plumbers out there making as much as doctors. We have insurance and pensions for the future, too.”

Chris Sproles, president of Central Texas Plumbing Solutions in Waco, said it is hard finding qualified people to fill plumbing positions.

“We have advertised different ways for journeymen plumbers,” he said. “In the last year, as far as licensed plumbers, we have had three that have inquired, with two that were licensed in Texas and one that was moving here from another state. Out of those folks, I was fortunate to hire the two guys that were in Texas.”

Sproles said his company’s problem, along with other businesses in the plumbing industry, is an aging workforce.

“My workforce is lots of guys over 50,” he said. “We struggle with that. They are great guys, but they are nearing the end of their careers. We do not get good qualified candidates, for sure.”

Sproles said the company occasionally hires apprentice plumbers.

“We do get a lot of inquiries from apprentices starting out,” he said. “We are extremely selective with those guys. We are looking for someone that can learn the trade with the intent of staying here.”

Sproles said high school is the place where guidance should be given to encourage students to pursue the plumbing field.

Curry said people entering the plumbing industry should understand geometry, trigonometry and physics and have a mechanical aptitude.

“There has to be a reemphasis on work ethic,” he said. “Even in our trade, we want to work smarter, not harder. You have to be willing to put forth the effort.”

The federal labor statistics agency predicts there will be a need for more than 511,000 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by 2029. This is attributed to workers retiring, along with new construction and the upkeep of plumbing systems.

Registration continues for the summer and fall semesters at TSTC. For more information, go to tstc.edu. 

(WACO, Texas) – Jay Jackson is not daunted by a little hard work.

Jackson, of Bosqueville, is studying Biomedical Equipment Technology at Texas State Technical College and working on his family’s dairy farm in rural McLennan County. He also has a dream of attending medical school in Texas.

So far at TSTC, Jackson has learned about medical equipment networking, repair tools, medical image storage, and direct and alternating currents. 

“The instructors at TSTC are able to make comparisons and not leave you at the deep end of technical jargon,” Jackson said.

Mark Plough teaches Biomedical Equipment Technology at TSTC’s Waco campus and is also the program’s statewide department chair. He said he admires Jackson’s inquisitiveness.

“I find him to be a remarkable young person and wish we had more like him,” Plough said. “He has an insatiable appetite to acquire knowledge of many different subjects.”

Jackson said since being in the program, he has seen the array of career options that graduates can pursue. He said technicians can work in hospitals, for medical equipment manufacturers and at independent service organizations.

“It’s a good job that will give you predictable hours and very attractive entry-level pay,” he said.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted there will be a need for more than 56,000 medical equipment repairers by 2029. This is attributed to the nation’s aging population and the development of new and refurbished medical equipment.

Jackson took advantage of college-level dual enrollment classes while a student at Bosqueville High School. After graduation, he attended a community college and later transferred to Baylor University, where he graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

To continue learning as he goes through the medical school application process, he enrolled last year at TSTC so he could understand how the medical equipment he will use in the future functions. After medical school, Jackson wants to stay in Texas and pursue orthopedics.

“I like the carpentry aspect of it,” Jackson said. “It’s an art to shape bones, especially with things like hip replacements.”

When Jackson is not studying or in class, he is working early mornings and late nights to keep cows happy and productive at the dairy farm.

“I like working on the dairy farm and helping my dad,” Jackson said. “I do whatever I need to do that day.”

Registration continues for the summer and fall semesters at Texas State Technical College. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

(WACO, Texas) – Jude Gonzales has learned that the positive people with whom he surrounds himself both personally and professionally can be motivational in creating a career and life to be proud of.

Where plumbing is concerned, Jude Gonzales knows that there is always more to learn — and he is not afraid to try.

“You will never truly master plumbing,” he said. “It is extremely complex when you dive into plumbing. It is a day-to-day grind while accumulating wisdom and knowledge and remaining humble at all times.”

Gonzales graduated in 2019 from Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus with a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology certificate. While at TSTC, he competed in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

After graduation, Gonzales and his father made plans to move to Idaho. But while eating at a diner on the way there, they decided to go to Albuquerque, New Mexico, because a relative lives in the state.

Gonzales said he had a challenging time finding a job.

“I had an amazing certificate, a resume, people who were well-versed and thought very highly of me, but nobody hired me,” he said.

Gonzales tried a new tactic involving an Albuquerque mall, a business suit, a sign indicating he was ready to work, and a stack of resumes. He eventually met someone who gave him a business card for a plumbing company in Albuquerque.

“The next day I did an interview and was hired,” Gonzalez said. “I was making $13.50 an hour.”

He worked for that company for two years and accumulated hundreds of apprenticeship hours to take New Mexico’s test to become a journeyman plumber. He received the certification in 2020, according to state of New Mexico licensing information.

“There are long hours, you are constantly having to train, and you are green,” Gonzales said. “Once you overcome those challenges, it is extremely beneficial. It is its own reward in going out to do something very few human beings are wanting and willing to do.”

It was Gonzales’ bout with COVID-19 while in Albuquerque that made him realize he wanted to be closer to his family in the Waco area. Once he made a full recovery, he moved back to Texas. He is now working at Central Texas Plumbing Solutions in Waco and is preparing to take the test to become a journeyman plumber in Texas.

Gonzales grew up in Robison. After graduating from Robinson High School, he joined the U.S. Navy and worked in culinary arts before receiving an honorable discharge. He later enrolled at TSTC and chose Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology because he was curious about the work.

“Jude is very punctual, respectful and focused at whatever he chooses to do,” said Jimmy Bibb, an instructor in TSTC’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program. “He entered this program with the intent of pulling everything out of it that he could. He was a star in the classroom and in the lab. Jude was always digging deeper and asking the hard questions.”

Registration continues for the summer and fall semesters at TSTC. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

(WACO, Texas) – Utex Industries Inc. in Houston has two Texas State Technical College graduates working daily to keep its employees safe.

Michael Houlihan is the company’s health, safety and environmental – maintenance manager at the company’s Weimar plant, which makes high-pressure gaskets for the oil and gas fracking industry. Dawn Swofford is the corporate senior environmental health and safety manager based in the Houston area.

“She and I just have an excellent open-door policy of communication,” Houlihan said. “I like working with her because of her knowledge. The key thing is her dedication.”

Utex Industries Inc. specializes in fluid sealing for the aerospace, industrial, water distribution, and oil and gas markets. The company specializes in bonding, fabric reinforcement, metal machining, thermoplastics and urethane molding. The company has more than 35 patents for mechanical seals, molded rubber seals, pump gaskets and other kinds of sealing devices.

Houlihan’s work involves earning the trust of employees to constantly improve plant safety. He starts his workday writing a safety report and looking at how many days there has not been a workplace injury. Houlihan visits departments to ask if they need more personal protection equipment and learn about any problems that need to be addressed. He has weekly conference calls with Swofford and other safety staff each week to discuss federal and company safety standards.

“My primary job is to make sure at the end of the day, everybody goes home,” he said.

Houlihan took advantage of on-the-job training. He learned about fire safety, decontamination work and hazardous materials through the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. He also underwent fire training when he worked at Phillips 66’s Sweeny Refinery. 

Houlihan became interested in safety after he witnessed a lifelong friend die in a workplace accident in the late 1970s near the Texas coast. He realized that anyone could be killed while working. He went on to graduate in the early 1990s from TSTC with an associate degree in what is now Occupational Safety Compliance Technology.

Houlihan said his career would not have been the same without TSTC. 

“I would not have had the management roles I have had,” he said.

Swofford was hired at Utex Industries Inc. two weeks before she received an associate degree in 2014 from what is now TSTC’s Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program. 

She began as a technician and worked her way up to managing environmental health and safety for several of the company’s facilities. She is also a certified forklift inspector and 3M-certified respirator fit test administrator.

Her work involves ensuring that compliance issues are addressed, preparing and writing annual reports, onboarding, training and other tasks.

“I always learn something new every day,” she said.

Swofford said understanding chemistry and taking as many mathematics courses as possible is good academic preparation for the safety field. She said for her job, she has to approve chemicals coming onto company sites, know what solvents are and understand inhalation hazards.

Her career advice for people interested in the safety field is to reach out to others when needed.

“Always use your resources because someone out there somewhere has already done it or invented it,” Swofford said. “I think something else that would be beneficial to nontraditional students is to pay attention to project management. Environmental health and safety is an ever-evolving field.”

Swofford said there is a need for more women to pursue the safety field.

“I think it is because we are good at multitasking and we are good at the emotional side of the job,” she said. “We are naturally nurturing, and we truly put our all into making sure that someone goes home safe so they can see their family.”

TSTC’s Environmental Technology – Compliance program and Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program will merge this fall. The program’s two associate degrees will be combined to create the new Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance Technology.

Registration continues for the summer and fall semesters at Texas State Technical College. For more information, go to tstc.edu. 

(WACO, Texas) – Shawn Avelar, of West, and John Sprague, of Clifton, have in common the year 2008 at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. That was the year Avelar began teaching at the campus and the year Sprague graduated.

Avelar did not get an opportunity to teach Sprague in what is now the Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program. But as members of TSTC’s Occupational Safety Compliance Technology Advisory Committee, the two are advocates for the importance of workplace safety and want to motivate others to pursue the field.

“Shawn Avelar has a God-given ability to lead by example,” said Martin Knudsen, TSTC’s statewide chair of the Occupational Safety Compliance Technology department. “He has risen to the top of the safety industry through hard work and determination, and he has never once complained about how difficult climbing the corporate ladder has been.” 

“John Sprague has held top management positions from day one after the training he received from the Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program,” Knudsen said. “He is never shy about his opinions on how to improve the program, which is always well received.”

Avelar taught for three years at TSTC and is now a corporate safety manager for the Washington-based NAES Corp. Avelar works remotely from his home in West and oversees 17 plants throughout Texas and other parts of the nation. 

Avelar oversees the safety officers at the plants he works with and ensures that they perform required checks and balances. He also helps carry out the company’s safety programs and works with policy and procedural changes.

“We follow legislation for changes,” he said. “My job is a lot of preparing and writing reports.”

Avelar said the safety field is not going away, which means that there will be good job opportunities in the future, especially for women and minorities. He is supportive of internships that enable students to experience and understand what the safety field entails.

“We have an aging profession,” he said. “We need good, strong-minded safety professionals to push this profession further and to really grow it.”

Avelar grew up in El Paso. When he was considering where he wanted to go to college and was visiting a local community college, he saw a TSTC flyer. At the time, he thought about studying drafting and design. He and his father were scheduled to go to Killeen but also planned a visit to Waco to visit TSTC. 

Avelar went on to earn a certificate in what is now TSTC’s Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology program and an associate degree in what is now TSTC’s Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program.

“I can definitely say I would not be where I am today if it was not for TSTC,” he said.

Sprague is a safety supervisor at Alvin-based Mesa Line Services. He lives in Clifton and travels for work. The company specializes in distribution and transmission services and other facets of the power line industry.

“I enjoy this industry,” he said. “It is a very difficult industry to work in. You have the weather and other conditions. It takes a special breed to get into this industry.”

Sprague is a certified crane inspector and an OSHA-authorized outreach trainer. He is also a certified utility safety professional, which required him to take a difficult exam.

“That was the hardest test I have taken in my entire life,” Sprague said. “I passed it the first time. I can tell you the only reason I passed was because Martin Knudsen was so adamant about us knowing the (OSHA’s General Industry) 1910 regulations that he buried our noses in it. I am so thankful for that.”

Sprague said the keys to being successful in the safety industry are credibility, maturity and respect. He said there is not room for complacency in the field.

“If you want to make money doing safety, you are going to have to get a job that travels,” Sprague said. “If you are going to get a plant job, you are going to get stuck at $50,000-$60,000 a year. Ever since I got my degree, I have made more than $100,000 a year.”

Sprague spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Before enrolling at TSTC, he was a trucking foreman for a Waco company.

“I saw the need for people to do things safety-oriented, and when the company got bought out, I didn’t have any kind of degree,” Sprague said. “The Veterans Administration paid for school.”

Sprague has an associate degree in what is now TSTC’s Occupational Safety Compliance Technology.

“The beauty of TSTC is they are a technical college and they make you bury yourself in the things you need to know,” he said. “I am a strong advocate for TSTC.”

TSTC’s Environmental Technology – Compliance program and Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program will merge this fall. The programs’ two associate degrees will be combined to create the new Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance Technology.

Registration continues for the summer and fall semesters at Texas State Technical College. For more information, go to tstc.edu.